More Fond in Death
by fei
Summary: Vegeta's dead and Bulma must cope.


**More Fond in Death**

_    "Bulma, Vegeta's not coming back."   
    "What do you mean he's not coming back?"   
    "He's dead."   
    "Dead?"
_

    

The empty shell of a woman sat on a park bench just remembering. She could almost feel his arm resting on her shoulders. She could hear his even breath in the ear of her memory. They used to sit like that on the benches in the park as their son and little Goten played with the little boys and girls. She knew how much he hated watching it. She knew it brought back too many memories for him...memories that weren't there. There were no parks in Vegeta's past. Just thrones and pain. Now...now it was the same for her. Every fiber of her body strove to be away from this place. But her heart wouldn't allow it. It weighed down her enough that she stayed put. That didn't mean the rest of her didn't complain. She could hear his quiet mutterings as she saw memorial Trunks pushing Goten in the swing. He hated seeing his son do anything for the half-breed son of Kakarot. She reached over to grab his hand and held nothing. Her eyes filled with tears. "Vegeta! Why did you leave me?!" The park was thankfully empty, it being the wee hours of the morning. Her lamentation went unheard. Her purse fell to the ground with a quiet thump, drawing her attention. She floundered to her feet and clutched the leather handbag in her hands. She left the park. Left her memories behind. She wouldn't need, or want, those anymore. 

_    "He hugged me...and then he rubbed my head...and then he hit me. He said to take care of you. And I woke up here. Where is he? Where's my dad? Papa? Mama, where's Papa?"   
    "He's dead, Trunks. Gone."   
    "Papa's not dead. Mama? You're crying."   
    "Dead..."
_

    

She couldn't sleep that night. The bed was too empty. Too cold. Of course, while he was alive-it was so strange to say such things-he had never really been around and the bed was almost always without him. But now that he was...dead there was no chance for him to come back and make it warm. There were memories here too. She could feel his hands ghosting along her sides in that way. His hands cupped her breasts and he marveled aloud at her beauty. She still blushed at this even after so many years of being with him and while she was occupied he touched her gently there... She moaned and when she realized that his warmth wasn't pressing her down into the bed she cried. It was so cold. Her tears felt like ice running down her face and mingling with her hair. His face buried in her hair, inhaling deeply. He loved the scent of her hair. His hands cupped her face and kissed her, but his lips weren't really there. "Stop it! I can't take this anymore!" She turned away from the empty space of the room, burying her face in the pillows. The pillow muffled her sobs. She couldn't sleep in the bed the next night.

_    "How did it happen, Piccolo?"   
    "He died a warrior's death. It was noble. You should be proud."   
    "How did he die?"   
    "He self-destructed."   
    "Oh."
_

    

There were a lot of people at his funeral. Most there because they somehow knew Bulma thus connecting them to Vegeta. Chi-Chi was there. Her hand rested stiffly on Goten's shoulder. Trunks stood be Goten quietly in his little black tuxedo. Bulma noted how small he looked. Vegeta never was a tall... Gohan stood protectively behind Bulma. He wanted to be there just in case she broke down. Chi-Chi cast sidelong glances at Gohan, making sure he wouldn't let Bulma fall. Bulma was very stoic. She stared ahead as a minister read various lines, clutching an unused, white handkerchief in her fist. She refused to cry anymore. Vegeta would have laughed at her weakness if she shed a single tear. "Never let your emotions show, Bulma." Those around her looked at her strangely, except for Trunks. He reached up and took his mother's hand in his own. He knew what she felt. She felt the dampness of tears on Trunks's hand and looked down at his upturned face. He had already lost the battle with his tears and was encouraging her to do the same. He had wisdom beyond his years. She smiled sadly and turned away. There was an empty coffin there for show. Her eyes glazed over with tears. This was it.

_    "He's dead."
_

-**fin**-


End file.
